U.S. studying Syria no-fly zone near Jordan border - diplomats

A view shows the site after bombs exploded close to a police post in the central Marjeh Square in Damascus June 11, 2013, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA.

Reuters/SANA/Handout via Reuters

ANKARA (Reuters) - The United States is studying setting up a limited no-fly zone in Syria close to the southern border with Jordan, two senior Western diplomats in Turkey said on Friday.

Their comments, confirmed by a third regional diplomat, came after Washington said it would step up military assistance to rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad in response to what it said was proof of chemical weapons use by Assad's forces.

"Washington is considering a no-fly zone to help Assad's opponents," one diplomat said. He said it would be limited "time-wise and area-wise, possibly near the Jordanian border", without giving details.

Syrian rebel commanders were due to meet Western and Turkish officials in Turkey on Friday to discuss military assistance to the rebels. Until now Washington has been deeply reluctant to send weapons, citing a risk that they would end up in the hands of radical Sunni Muslim brigades.

One of the diplomats said that setting up a no-fly zone might help Western efforts to monitor the recipients of any arms supplies, as well as helping train the anti-Assad fighters.